About Campus Safety

About the Department of Campus Safety

The Department of Campus Safety is located in the Campus Safety Building on the west end of the Wege Student Center Parking Lot. The Department is open and provides protection and services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Department is staffed by a Director, two Supervisors, three full-time officers and sixteen part-time student officers and dispatchers.

Our officers are trained in many aspects of crime prevention and community service. All employees are certified in Standard First Aid and CPR. Our officers do not have arrest authority unless they are witness to a felony, therefore, we cooperate and work closely with the Grand Rapids Police Department, East Grand Rapids Public Safety Department and the Kent County Sheriff's Department to coordinate any necessary police response or arrests made on campus. All of our officers are radio equipped for efficient response to community needs.

Mission Statement

The Aquinas College Department of Campus Safety exists to provide leadership to the Aquinas College Community in striving for a safe and secure environment in which all community members can live, learn and work. With a community service approach, the Department strives to identify and institute programs, methods and approaches that will enhance the protection of persons and property, the prevention of crime and the enforcement of College policy. A truly safe campus can only be achieved through the cooperative efforts of all students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders. By coordinating the College's efforts in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies, the Campus Safety Department can achieve its commitment to the community to serve, protect and assist.

Student Officer Application

The Department of Campus Safety is always pleased to accept applications from quality students. Our student employees have excelled in and out of the classroom and beyond Aquinas. Our former students officers and dispatchers are now teachers and lawyers, and many possess advanced degrees. Among our alumni, we boast a U.S. Marshall and an I.R.S. Special Agent. For specific questions about the application process, please contact Lt. Mark McCann at 616.632.2465.